Before He Was France
by Anneliza
Summary: The story of how France came to be. How his parents fought for him and risked so much.


AN: This is a short story for all the people who requested my headcannon about France's parents. I hope you like it!

* * *

She looked around quickly as she slipped out of the large fortress to make sure no one spotted her. Holding her breath as she reached the sparse stretch of land that made the courtyard, she pulled her cloak tighter around her and slid around the walls to reach her destination; the door. As she grasped the handle, a guard stopped on the wall above her.

Crossing her fingers and praying silently, she waited for him to move on.

But he didn't.

"Please move," she whispered as loud as she dared. "Please. I need you to move or you'll hear the door creaking."

A sneeze and footsteps made her breathe a sigh of relief and hastily pushed the door open, creeping outside instantly.

Running as fast as she could, she soon reached the forest and headed for the clearing in the middle.

A young man was waiting for her and she ran into his open arms.

"Oh Marcus!" she cried happily as he held her close against his chest.

"Emma," he breathed into her ear. "It has been too long since our last meeting."

The woman pulled back a little to look in his eyes.

"I am sorry. My father is so suspicious. He leaves much less often now and has more guards patrolling the walls and grounds than ever before!"

Marcus stroked her hair gently.

"I wish he would just let us be together."

Emma nodded.

"Me too. He would have been fine with you if you were not a Roman."

He wiped the small tear from her eye.

"My father would love you if you were not Germanic."

Emma started to cry in earnest and Marcus pulled her close against his chest, letting her calm down while admiring her beauty which was amplified by the moonlight streaming through the trees above their heads.

"I wish I could ask your father for your hand," he said sadly. "But I know that he would never agree to it."

The young woman's head shot up to look him in the eyes.

"What if we ran away? They couldn't tear us apart then!"

Marcus's heart broke at the desperation in the girl's eyes, forcing himself to shake his head.

"I can't. You know I have to go bsck. I'm the oldest son. I have a duty. And you have to go back as well. You're his only child." The bright eyes dropped to look at the ground. "But we still have tonight."

She threw her arms around his neck, smiling hugely, before laying on her back on the forest floor.

* * *

"You're what?" an angry, blond man demanded. "Say that again! Now!"

Emma shook slightly under the furious glare her father was giving her.

"I-I'm pregnant…" she repeated.

The man grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

"How could you do that? Do you know what that will do to my reputation? My only child is unmarried and expecting a child! And there's no father either!" A sudden realization hit him as she looked away nervously. "It's that Roman boy…isn't it?"

She nodded slowly.

"I'm going to kill him," he growled, grabbing his sword and stomping toward the door.

"No!" she cried, grabbing his arm and attempting to stop him. "Please don't! I love him and he loves me! We wanted to get married but you wouldn't let us!"

He pushed her away roughly.

"Stay here," he ordered as she fell to the ground. "I'll be back later."

He stormed out the door and slammed it behind him.

* * *

"What nonsense is this?" the Roman man asked, fuming. "What trash are you trying to spread about my son?"

"It's true! Your son impregnated my daughter!"

Marcus had slipped into the room quietly and froze as he heard the discussion.

His father heard him however, and seized his arm.

"Is this true? Did you sleep with that whore?"

Fury bubbled up in the Germanic man.

"Don't you dare call my daughter that!"

The Roman ignored him and squeezed the boy's arm tightly.

"Answer me!" he roared.

Marcus nodded.

"Yes Father. I love her and I want to be with her." He wrenched his arm out of his father's grip. "You never cared about my happiness! You just wanted me to do whatever you said! But now I'm in love and the one I love is going to have my child! If you don't want me to be with her, then consider me gone. I will be with her. No matter what."

His father stared at him as his son glared hard at him, determined to follow through with his threat.

"Then get out!"

Shocked, Marcus stumbled backwards and reached the door.

He managed to pull it open before dashing away from the angry men.

* * *

Marcus forced the door open and hurried to Emma's side. "Hurry! Your father is on his way back!" He helped her up and out the door." Her legs were shorter and much confined by the dress so he scooped her into his arms and carried her.

"Why are we doing this?" she asked quietly.

"My father wants us out of his life. So we are leaving." He smiled at her. "We'll find our own place and raise our child together. And I promise to never leave you."

She hugged him tightly around the neck.

"Thank you so much."

* * *

Over the months, the girl's stomach grew and grew, allowing the life to grow and be healthy.

They built a small cottage in the middle of the forest where they used to have their secret meetings and Marcus became the apprentice of a local blacksmith to provide for his young wife and future child.

Soon, very soon it seemed to both parents, the fateful night arrived and Emma gave birth to a healthy boy.

Both were delighted and promised to provide everything they could for their precious son.

* * *

As the boy aged, his hair grew out and became beautiful, blond locks that curled at the ends making him look slightly like a young girl but neither parent cared. He also had bright blue eyes, a kind face, and a sweet disposition to match. To his parents, he was the perfect child and both loved him more than they knew possible.

He didn't ask for much, barely anything, but always wanted to spend time with his parents. It was the highlight of his father's day when he would race up to him when he got back from work and hop around his ankles until his father picked him up and hugged him tightly.

Francis, as the young boy was named, never believed that anything in his perfect life would change, and especially not as deeply as it did the night the forest lit up.

* * *

The small family was sleeping when Francis woke up suddenly.

A harsh smell was in the air and black clouds billowed around the small cottage.

Trying to spit the smoke out of his mouth, he noticed a glowing light that was getting brighter; and quickly.

"Maman!" he called, scared. "Papa! Something is happening to the forest!"

Both parents sat bolt up in bed, eyes wide, and leapt towards him.

"We need to go, Francis!" his mother said in a hurried voice. "We need to go now!"

She picked him up and ran out the door, his father following quickly.

"My bear!" he cried, reaching for the treasured companion he had been given at his last birthday.

Stopping quickly, Marcus turned and ran back into the house.

Emma held Francis against her chest protectively and waited nervously for him to come back.

After a few tense moments, Marcus burst out of the blaze, holding the bear in his hands.

Francis took it from him and hugged it tightly.

Marcus collapsed to the ground and Emma screamed as she noticed the flames burning his back.

"Marcus! Marcus, no!"

"G-Go," he choked out. "S-Save yourselves…"

Tears poured out of her eyes.

"Please no!"

His eyes slid closed and his breathing stopped.

Emma screamed again and threw herself on top of his body, crying and letting her body burn too.

"F-Francis…" she forced out, turning to him. "G-Go…Your grandfathers live close to here…and if you tell them who you are…they will take you in…"

Her eyes closed and Francis's eyes widened, scared.

Taking shaky steps backward, he regained his senses and turned, running as fast as he could.

* * *

His grandfathers agreed to take him in turns and he steadily grew into a young man before leaving their houses to find his own.

And now, all these years later, he still has that teddy bear but it's under lock and key so that he can try to forget; forget all the good times and joy he had when his parents were still alive. When he was still loved. Before he was hurt by the ones he cared about.

* * *

AN: Sorry if the ending depressed you but that's the way it goes. I thought that 'Marcus Claudius' was a good name for his father and it's a name that a Roman would have given his son. And 'Emma' (no lastname) is a Germanic name that became a common French name.

Okay but Emma wanted something different than her strick, Germanic upbringing and that's how she met Marcus. Marcus was just on an evening stroll through the woods when he met Emma.

Being the children of Rome and Germania meant that they could never be together but they tried. Their fathers eventually learned that they were living in the forest and they started the fire.

And if you've read 'Scars', you'll know why Francis wasn't happy with his grandfathers. And now you'll know why he needed to get back at his daughter.

But the background for this is a picture I saw that had Rome with his family and Germania with his and even though France is both Roman and Germanic, he was shown with Rome. He is also the only blond (lovechild? I think so XD) and Austria on Germania's side is the only one with brown hair (more proof!). So since they're his grandparents I thought his parents would have to cross the borders.

Anyway! Long spiel over. See ya soon!


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